Take a classic arcade game premise, expand upon it the right way, and you’ve got something good. That’s what Gameloft did with Tank Battles, a top-down tank simulator that puts you in the cockpit of a World War II tank. You’ll fight through 50 campaign levels, battle against the computer in assorted random levels, play cooperatively with a second player, or get down and dirty online in Death Match, Team Death Match, or Capture the Flag. Like the arcade tank games you loved, Tank Battles sports an array of power-ups such as speed boosts, homing missiles, invisibility, flamethrowers, rockets, short-term invincibility shields, and land mines.

Even without the Yankees in the playoffs and an NBA regular season, it’s pretty much a perfect time to be a sports fan. Nelson Cruz broke the MLB record for most home runs and RBIs in a playoff series, Tom Brady has somehow found yet another gear, and Jaromir Jagr is back on the ice at 39 years old. And with all of that great action filling the days, fantasy die-hards still have to find time to manage multiple teams.

There are many role-playing games (RPGs) for iOS devices, like Solomon’s Keep or Battleheart, but nearly all are focussed on casual gameplay; something you’d pick up for a few minutes to pass the time. Although by no means unique, the iPad-only Companions is cut from a different cloth, and if you’re a fan of traditional fantasy RPGs like Wizardry, Dungeon Master, and Bard’s Tale, you’ll appreciate the depth and breadth of the storyline and gameplay.

Kairosoft has built a tiny cult empire on the strength of the simulation genre. Its first game, Game Dev Story, won the hearts of many game reviewers (including ours), and since that entry the formula hasn't deviated very much. Unfortunately, the "Story" series is starting to get a little bit long in the tooth, and we're hoping Kairosoft will branch out soon. Sadly, this formula is starting to overstay its welcome.

Thirty years ago, a little frog braved oncoming traffic to get to the other side… of an extremely popular arcade game. The concept proved so endearingly popular that many years later, it was featured in an iconic episode of hit 90s sitcom, Seinfeld. To mark the momentous anniversary of the game's original release, the core approach has been revamped for your iOS device, be it an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

Have you still not gotten around to downloading the original Cut the Rope? Go. Now. Download that wonderful game and don't look back. It's ten times the puzzle game Angry Birds could ever be! And it's from that point of lofty praise that the sequel has to pick up the baton and continue the legacy. Thankfully, Cut the Rope: Experiments is more than up to the task.

If you're unfamiliar with the story of PopCap's relationship with young Owain Weinert then you should probably read our story about it from earlier this year. In short, Owain Weinert has leukemia, and made a wish through the Make-a-Wish Foundation to create his own video game. PopCap stepped up to the plate, made it happen, and now it's a free, universal app.

Most people probably aren't aware of Mobigames incredible iOS game, Edge, from the early days of the App Store. That's because the game was tied up in a major legal battle that kept it off the store for huge swaths of time (synopsis: the gaming industry's most infamous patent troll, Tim Langdell, sues the crap out of anything with the word "Edge" in it, claiming he owns the copyright because his company is named Edge Games.)

This seems to be the prevailing logic of Chillingo's Contre Jour HD, an iOS game in which your goal is to help a gigantic rolling eyeball creature named Petit across assorted surreal landscapes. It's not a simple process; you'll have to collect glowing lights, modify terrain as needed, avoid traps, and use nearby objects such as stretchy (and nonstretchy) tentacles, air geysers, portals, and slingshots.

Anyone can make a halfway decent iOS game these days, but to create a hit, there’s three criteria: gorgeous graphics, replayability, and simple controls. Built around spectacular frozen sculptures that are quickly blown to bits, Amazing Breaker has this formula down to a science.